A Plate Love Confession

I have a little Plate fetish.

Here's the story...

An effortless trio in this kitchen.

The Pagoda chandelier with the aged cabinet and mismatched chairs is just plain genius. When working in Manhattan Beach my boss taught me a trick with Pagoda chandeliers. Ebay. Buy used, spray paint white, find an electrician to install and bingo bango!

I love John Derian's Collection. Find here.

Ooolala.

Something for the Bohemian's...

Turquoise and reds, I swoon for..

The end. :)

Chinese Garden Stools

Emily Henderson, the winner of HGTV's Design Star and also the witty brains behind the blog - stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog has taught me a thing or two about designing spaces.

The one thing she swears by that I will live by when decorating any space; living room, bedroom, family rooms, is this:

In case you don't know my feeling on legs, you should try to have at least one piece of furniture that doesn't have four legs, whether its a really low sofa, or a skirted sofa or chair or in this case a coffee table, it helps the whole space look more grounded and substantial. I forget who said it, somebody from house beautiful, but a designer said that a room with too many legs looks 'nervous' and I totally agree.

Which is why I have devoted this post to Chinese Garden Stools to help any space look less 'nervous.'

Today Chinese Garden stools are used as a popular decorating accessory, but were once shaped from tree stumps/rocks in Chinese gardens. They come in metallics, pastels, woods, and my personal favorite - chinese touile. Wisteria is a great source.

The uses for Garden Stools are limitless; coffee tables, end tables in living rooms/bedrooms; use in your shower, for an outdoor patio, office space, nursery room - they are both functional and add that perfect splash of color.

Now, the question lies, where would you place yours? I'm thinking my blue chaise needs a friend.

Do-it-Yourself!

When flipping through the November issue of Coastal Living Magazine, I fell in love with this rattan inspired Console Table.

The absolute best part of this table is... it is a Do-it-yourself! Do you recognize this table? It is the well known, and must I say VERY affordable, Parsons Desk found here from West Elm.

The fabric is from Raoul textiles and is called Hideko. It comes in lots of colors - including Indigo which would look very cool as well.

As much as I love this table used as a wet bar, I would personally use it as a console table for a foyer. It's the perfect size to drop my keys/spare change and hang a large antique mirror above.

The lamps Coastal Living styled this table with are beautiful, but a bit pricey (@ $595/ea.) from Arteriors Home found here. Alternatively, I found these lamps that look almost identical - for more than half the price @ $175/ea! Found here at Furbish Studio. Once you've clicked that link, beware, everything is drop dead adorable. I am OBSESSED with all of it.

Hotel Chelsea

Something about the seasons changing has given me the worst travel itch! Today I nearly convinced my husband to go on an impromtu Vermont ski trip for Christmas, just the two of us, doesn't that sound lovely? Eh, it was worth a shot.

Until I have my own Hotel Chelsea, I will put my head down and keep dreaming of European strolls and Vermont getaways...

Speaking of working, don't you just love this office? The geometric slipcovered parsons chair and the fun floral area rug are such a beautiful marriage. The best part of this office is I already have a similar desk from Pottery Barn, white bookshelf from a Chicago flea market, a Macbook, floating shelves from Pottery Barn, and stacks of design mags to re-create this look in no time. Really, the only purchases that would need to be made are the parsons chair + slipcover + rug and Voila! A similar rug can be found here. Parsons chair here. I am still on the hunt for that Slipcover - I will find you.

Oh, almost forgot, did you notice the Swedish horse on the bookshelf? ;)

Living in Red, White and Blue

As I look out my window it is a dark, rainy, and cold day. I know Christmas is soon to come, which means cozy sweaters, presents, and warm boots. But, I am a summer girl at heart which is why I will need to decorate my living room beachy to get me through the winter months. Over the past few months I have tagged a few favorite living rooms and only realized today they all have a common theme, Red White and Blue!







I have the above dash and albert blue and white striped rug. I love the idea of layering rugs, and think layering this dash and albert with a sisal rug creates a perfect warmth to this room. Can't you just picture watching a Bravo marathon with a cup of hot cocoa and fuzzy socks?

Dalecarlian horse and a welcome.

You ask, what is the Dalecarlian or Dala horse? Wikipedia defines as "a traditional carved and painted wooden statuette of a horse originating in the Swedish province of Dalarna." The history of these horses goes way back to the 1700s when men would carve them from their left over wood scrapping's when away from their families during the long cold winters. Today, they are a symbol of all Swedish handicrafts.

To me, this bright, happy horse is a symbol of my family and love for beautiful things. My mother has always had Dala horses around the house while growing up, but last Christmas I received my first Dala horse. Ever since it has become my go-to good luck charm. Events from the past year have made me believe this horse will get me through just about anything. My little horse was in my purse interviewing for my newly landed job, kissed before signing for our new apartment, and the very first thing I see every morning standing tall next to my alarm clock. Every time I look at the colors and intricate swirls of the brush strokes, I am reminded of my mothers artistic skills and my grandmothers Swedish heritage.

Now that you know where the inspiration for the blog name comes from, Welcome!

This will be a space where I will thread ideas, thoughts and fun as I evolve from a twenty something year old.

I will share with you all the finds from beautiful rooms to experiences to random moments.

I look forward to the ride with you!